Police who snitch: Deviant actors in a secret society

Abstract

Traditionally, the literature on police deviance has focused on criminal and/or unethical acts committed by officers against the public trust. In the process, considerably less emphasis has been given to seemingly minor transgressions committed by some against their peers. For example, to many consumers of police literature, the “code of silence” connotes an unwritten rule that forbids reporting another officer's illegal activities for any reason. The idea that some might report minor rule infractions for the sole purpose of personal gain is seldom entertained. In practice, police do snitch. This paper explores the development and practice of this phenomenon as a form of deviance from the subcultural perspective. Various motives for snitching are examined, and a typology of police snitches is provided. Finally the discussion touches upon some ethical implications of administrative tolerance and utilization of this deviant actor's services.